Reading Breast Augmentation
Silicone & Saline Breast Implants
If you wish your breasts were larger, fuller, more shapely or more symmetrical, breast augmentation surgery may be the right choice for you. Also called augmentation mammaplasty, breast augmentation is a cosmetic procedure that uses implants to enlarge and shape the breasts. Some women, in Berks County and across the country, choose it because they are dissatisfied that their breasts never developed as they hoped. Others want the procedure to restore their breast volume, which may have decreased as a result of pregnancy, weight loss or aging.
Any of these feelings or conditions may indicate you’re a good candidate for breast augmentation:
- You are bothered by the feeling that your breasts are too small
- Weight loss has changed the size and shape of your breasts
- After having children, your breasts have become smaller and have lost their firmness
- Dresses that fit well around your hips are often too large at the bust line
- One of your breasts is noticeably smaller than the other
- You feel self-conscious wearing a swimsuit or form-fitting top
After augmentation, your new look may bring you greater freedom in the way you dress and present yourself, and it may boost your self image. Before you decide to go ahead, and before Dr. Reedy or Dr. Fernandez can agree that you should, however, you need to understand (1) what will be done, (2) what you can expect during post-surgery recovery, and (3) the risks that come with this or any similar elective surgery.
Please contact us at Berks Plastic Surgery to see if you are a good candidate for breast augmentation.
The Procedure
A breast implant is a silicone elastomer envelope filled with a saltwater solution (saline) or silicone. The implant is placed under the breast tissue. In choosing the correct implant, we take into consideration the proportion of your breasts to your height, your weight and chest width, the location of your nipple (areola complex), the distance from your nipple to your breast fold (infra-mammary fold), and your desired cleavage after surgery.
Once you are under anesthesia, your surgeon makes an incision, creates a pocket for the implant, positions the implant, and closes the skin where the incision was made. You go home in a compression bra that helps reduce swelling and hold the breasts in the correct position. It is important to note that Dr. Reedy and Dr. Fernandez work with a board-certified anesthesiologist who is a doctor of medicine.
Recovery
You will experience some pain, bruising and swelling after surgery. Slight bleeding typically occurs at first, along with scarring that will fade with time. You must avoid heavy exercise for several weeks, but otherwise you can return to work in five to seven days.
Risks and Complications
There are risks and possible complications associated with any surgery. With implants, there is an extremely low risk of rupture or leakage. Implants carry a ten-year manufacturer’s warranty that covers direct payment for some surgical costs, and a free new implant. Capsular contracture is another risk. A layer of tissue normally forms around the implant. This tissue capsule can contract and put pressure on the implant, causing the breast to feel hard. Steps are taken during the surgery to reduce the risk, naturally, and there are post-surgery techniques that help ensure that contracture will not happen. Other possible complications include rippling and wrinkling. The patient may feel the edge of the breast implant, especially if the skin is thin and a relatively large implant is placed above the muscle. Loss of sensation of the nipple or breast tissue, calcium deposits, breast-implant position shift, and blood-clot formation are possible. General complications from surgery can include bleeding, infection, and stiffness of the surrounding tissue, even months after surgery, but incidences are rare.
Our plastic surgeons, Dr. Reedy and Dr. Fernandez, take great care to evaluate each patient individually. They will advise you of your own unique risk profile, and enable you to compare it with that of breast augmentation candidates in general, before determining whether you’re a good candidate for the procedure. To schedule an appointment or to learn more about breast augmentation, please contact us today.
If you live near Allentown, Pottsville, Reading or Lancaster, breast augmentation specialists at Berks Plastic Surgery can help you get the results you are looking for!
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